1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of retainers for retaining a safety razor and with shaving blade cartridge attached to the handle so that the safety razor is in condition for immediate shaving use when it is removed from the container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following seven patents and published patent applications are the closest prior art references which were located in a prior art search.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,859 issued to Marcus C. Thompson on May 8, 1951 for “Razor Supporting Means” (hereafter the “Thompson Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,594 issued to Jack M. Cobb on Sep. 18, 1973 for “Method and Apparatus for Storing Cutting Implements” (hereafter the “Cobb Patent”);
3. United States Published Patent Application No. 2009/0172958 to John Prudden et al. on Jul. 9, 2009 for “Pivot Inhibiting Razor Storage Case” (hereafter the “Prudden Published Patent Application”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 8,113,347 issued to Douglas Robert Kohring et al. on Feb. 14, 2012 for “Razor Storage Case Having Mating Closure Members” (hereafter the “Kohring Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 8,342,322 issued to Darrell R. De'Rennaux on Jan. 1, 2013 for “Razor Bed” (hereafter the “De'Rennaux Patent”);
6. United States Published Patent Application No. 2013/0047860 to Charles Allan Lawhorne on Feb. 28, 2013 for “Anti-Rust Case (ARC)” (hereafter the “Lawhorne Published Patent Application”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 8,770,398 issued to Paul Krok on Jul. 8, 2014 for “Retaining Disposable Shaver Blade Cartridges in a Sealed Condition and Simultaneously Retaining the Shaver Handle in a Condition for Immediate Shaving Use” (hereafter the “Krok Patent”).
The Thompson Patent discloses a razor supporting means. This primarily is disclosing a razor supporting structure to enable the razor to dry.
The Cobb Patent discloses the general concept of a container where the razorblades are placed against the substance that will prevent them from corroding and otherwise deteriorating. The patent discloses:                “A method and apparatus for storing cutting implements that substantially eliminates deterioration of the cutting edge and metal surfaces adjacent to the cutting edge caused by corrosion of the metal between intermittent uses of the cutting implement. The apparatus comprises a container adapted to receive the cutting implement and support it so that the cutting edges are in close proximity to a body of volatile corrosion inhibitor, which can be a wicking material impregnated with a liquid agent or a body of solid agent. One embodiment of the device is especially adapted for storage of a safety razor between intermittent shaving operations.”        
The Prudden Published Patent Application discloses a pivot inhibiting razor storage case. The patent application discloses a spring loaded case on a living hinge where the shaver and blades are retained within the case and openings within the case so that a wet razorblade can be dried.
The Kohring Patent discloses a razor storage case having mating closure members with the intent of clearly removing moisture from the razorblade that is contained within the container which also presumably is also attached to a safety razor handle.
The De'Rennaux Patent discloses the concept of having a razor saver that includes an absorbent liner and one or more absorbent desiccant gel packs for removing moisture from the razorblade. The Patent discloses the concept of having only the desiccant to remove the moisture.
The Lawhorne Published Patent Application discloses an anti-rust case. The patent application discloses: a case which contains oxygen and moisture absorbing desiccant. The desiccant, being activated clay, silica gel, and molecular sieve, is contained inside the case along with products that need to remain free of rust. The main object of the case is to prevent rust from forming on the blades of a manual shaver or straight razor. The main components of this product are the case, which restrict air flow, and the desiccant which absorb oxygen and moisture.
The current inventors are also the co-inventors of two issued United States patents. The first issued patent is U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,370 issued on Jun. 24, 2014 for “Retaining Disposable Shaver Blade Cartridges in a Sealed Condition and Simultaneously Retaining the Shaver Handle in a Condition for Immediate Shaving Use”. The second issued patent for which the present inventors are also co-inventors is U.S. Pat. No. 8,770,398 issued on Jul. 8, 2014 for “Retaining Disposable Shaver Blade Cartridges in a Sealed Condition and Simultaneously Retaining the Shaver Handle in a Condition for Immediate Shaving Use” which contains additional information on a desiccant within the container.
The following patents were cited by the patent examiner during the prosecution of the parent application: The parent application has been allowed. The Patent Examiner cited the following prior art references during the prosecution of the parent application:
(1) US-2004/0099554 published 05-2004, inventor James Pangeric
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,724 issued 03-2007 to Lance D. Crain
(3) US-2011/0197450 published 8-2011, inventor Stew L. Taub
(4) US-2011/0225834 published 09-2011, inventor Dante Cirilli
(5) US-2012/0125793 published 05-2012, inventor Joe S. Benvenuto
(6) US 2014/0083052 published 03-2014, inventor Steve Cooper
(7) US 2015/0034515 published 02-2015 inventor Kenneth Monyak